2015 Signing Class

2015 Ohio State Football Signing Class

This Ohio State football signing class was considered to be one of the best in the nation. The class featured one five-star signee in linebacker Justin Hilliard, 14 four-star signees and 10 three-star signees.

The class ranked seventh overall nationally and first in the Big Ten at the time of its signing in February 2015.

Justin Hilliard is ranked a five-star prospect and is the highest ranked player in this recruiting class. He is ranked the second-best OLB prospect in the nation and the 34th-best prospect overall at any position. He is the number one prospect in Ohio. Played just seven games as a junior but still made 53 tackles and had 5 tackles for loss. Had 47 tackles and 7 tackles for loss his senior season. He was recruited by Luke Fickell and Kerry Coombs. Hilliard literally had his pick of schools. He had scholarship offers from every major program including Alabama, Arkansas, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, USC, Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Wisconsin, Tennessee and dozens more. Hilliard is a very fast linebacker who has a nose for the football. He could make an immediate impact at Ohio State.

Jerome Baker is a consensus four-star signee and the second-highest ranked player in this class. He is ranked the ranked the 4th-best Athlete in the nation and 61st-best player at any position. Baker was a two-way player in high school where he played both running back and linebacker. In his senior season he racked up 106 tackles and four sacks while rushing for 875 yards and four touchdowns. He was an Army All-American and originally committed to the Florida Gators but eventually de-committed and became a Buckeye. Along with Florida Baker had offers from almost every major program in the country. His offer sheet included Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Miami (Florida), Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pitt, Tennessee and others. Baker will most likely play on the defensive side of the ball at Ohio State and could be a safety, linebacker or even a defensive end. Most likely, however, he will play linebacker.

Jerome Baker Video

Mike WeberRunning BackCass Technical HS
Detroit Mi. 5-10, 212

About Mike Weber

Mike Weber is four-star prospect and ranked the 9th-best running back in the nation. He is rated the 78th-best prospect overall at any position. Weber is a bruising runner with good speed. His senior season he rushed for 946 yards on 119 carries to average 8.0 yards per carry. He scored 15 touchdowns and had a long run of 76 yards. Weber's recruitment came down to a battle between Ohio State and Michigan with Buckeye eventually winning out. There was some controversy on signing day when Weber's chief recruiter and position coach Stan Drayton announced that he would be leaving the Buckeyes for the NFL. There was some talk that Weber felt duped, but that all turned out to be talk. Beside Michigan and Ohio State Weber had offers from Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Miami (Florida), Stanford, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Tennessee, USC, Alabama and many others. Weber is seen as the heir-apparent to current OSU running back Ezekiel Elliott and most likely will redshirt his freshman year while Elliott completes his eligibility.

Torrance Gibson is a four-star prospect who is rated the second-best dual threat quarterback nationally and 37th-best prospect in the nation. Gibson is the protype for dual threat quarterbacks. In both his junior and senior seasons in high school he rushed for over 1,000 yards while throwing for almost 2,000 in each of those seasons. In his senior season he rushed for 13 touchdowns and threw for another 21 while throwing just three interceptions. Gibson has a big arm to go with his 4.46 40 speed. His preferred position is quarterback but could probably excel at a number of other positions such as wide receiver. Gibson had scholarship offers from all over the country including Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Miami (FL), Texas A&M, Clemson, Florida State, Florida, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Wisconsin just to name a few. With the logjam at quarterback Gibson is likely to redshirt his freshman season but is the kind of talent that has to get on the field one way or another sooner rather than later.

Jashon Cornell is a four-star prospect that is rated the 7th-best strong side defensive end and 98th-best player overall in the country. He is ranked the top prospect in the state of Minnesota. Cornell was a much sought recruit with schools such as Alabama, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Florida, Cal, Florida State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, USC, UCLA, LSU and a host of others in pursuit of his services.Hhe twice was named a second-team Minnesota all-state pick by the Associated Press.. Cornell was the defensive line MVP of the Nike training camp in Columbus in the summer of 2014 and thus earned an invite to The Opening later that summer He capped career at the Under Armour All-American game

Jashon Cornell Video

Eric Glover-WilliamsCornerbackMcKinley HS
Canton, Oh.5-11, 165

About Eric Glover-Williams

Glover-Williams is a four-star prospect rated the 12th-best cornerback prospect and 100th-best prospect overall nationally. He is ranked the4th-best prospect in Ohio. Glover-Williams was first to commit to the Class of 2015, doing so in Spring 2013. He played numerous offensive positions, but concentrated on running back as a senior and was named Division I Associated Press all-state as a senior after rushing for 1,149 yards and 14 touchdowns with 16 receptions. He also had a punt return touchdown and a 100-yard interception return score. Glover-Williams was named second-team Associated Press all-state in 2013 as McKinley went 9-2 and advanced to state playoffs. Though his recruitment ended early he had plenty of interest outside of Ohio. Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan State, Nebraska, Pitt, Michigan, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin all pursued him but there was never much doubt that he would be a Buckeye. He could play on either side of the ball in college but most likely will be tried at corner on defense first. He could also play running back, wide receiver or H-back on offense.

Eric Glover-Williams Video

Isaiah PrinceOffensive TackleEleanor Roos. HS
Greenbelt, Md.6-7, 305

About Isaiah Prince

Isaiah Prince is a four-star recruit who is rated the 7th-best offensive tackle in the nation and 105th-best player overall nationally. He is ranked the first-best player in the state of Maryland. Prince has very good size and long arms which should help him in pass protection. Prince was an Army All-American. His commitment did not come until signing day when he chose the Buckeyes over Maryland, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisville, LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Virginia, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and others.

Isaiah Prince Video

Matthew BurrellOffensive GuardC.D. Hylton HS
Woodbridge, Va.6-4, 321

About Matthew Burrell

Matthew Burrell is a four-star prospect who is rated the 7th-best offensive guard prospect and 107th-best player overall nationally. He is ranked the fourth-best player in Virginia. His recruitment came down to a battle between OSU and Penn State with the Buckeyes winning out for his services. Burrell had tremendous interest from across the country including schools like Florida State, LSU, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, Virginia, Virginia Tech and many others.

Matthew Burrell Video

Dre'Mont JonesDefensive EndSt. Ignatius HS
Cleveland, Oh. 6-3, 266

About Dre'Mont Jones

Dre'Mont Jones is a four-star prospect that is ranked the 11th-best defensive end and 136th-best player overall nationally. He is rated the sixth- best player in Ohio. Jones' has good size but his greatest strength is his quickness. He is very fast off the ball. He has the frame to get bigger and could end up a three-technique. He was a prolific defender his senior season when he produced 47 tackles, 21 tackles-for-losses and four sacks with four forced fumbles. Jones' offer list included Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Iowa, Notre Dame, Indiana, Florida State, Louisville, Illinois, North Carolina, Penn State, Tennessee and West Virginia.

K.J. Hill is a four-star prospect who is ranked the 16th-best wide receiver nationally and 152nd best prospect overall regardless of position. His senior season he caught 58 passes for 1,023 yards and 11 touchdowns and also rushed for 386 yards and seven more scores. He had 63 catches for 1,143 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior. Hill is known most as a receiver but also ran the ball enough to potentially be an H-back candidate at some time in his Buckeye career. Hill's recruitment came down to OSU and his home-state Arkansas Razorbacks with Hill eventually settling on the Buckeyes. He also had scholarship offers from Alabama, Florida, Arizona State, Auburn, Georgia, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Nebraska, and others.

K.J. Hill Video

Nick ConnerLinebackerDublin Scioto HS
Dublin, Oh6-3, 225

About Nick Conner

Nick Conner is a four-star prospect that is rated the 8th-best ILB prospect nationally and 214th-best at any position. He is rated the ninth-best prospect in Ohio. Conner was named second-team Division II all-state by the Associated Press as a junior after recording 129 tackles with 19 TFLs. He missed most his senior season as a result of a knee injury. Conner's recruitment came down to OSU and Michigan State with the Buckeyes winning his services. He also considered Kentucky and had offers from Cincinnati, Duke, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Oregon, Pitt, Purdue, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Penn State and others.

Nick Conner Video

Denzel WardCornerbackNordonia HS
Macedonia, Oh.
5-11, 165

About Denzel Ward

Denzel Ward is a four-star prospect who is ranked the 26th-best cornerback prospect in the nation and the 260th-best prospect at any position. He is rated the 10th-best prospect in Ohio. Ward helped lead Nordonia to a 14-1 record and the Division II state championship game in 2014 by starring on defense with nine interceptions and 18 pass break-ups and on offense with more than 1,300 total yards and 20 touchdowns. He totaled 14 interceptions in 2013 and 2012. Ward is an extremely fast player and one of the fastest players on the OSU squad. Ward was recruited by Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Indiana, Kentucky, UMass, Rutgers, Tennessee and others.

Denzel Ward Video

Joe BurrowQuarterbackAthensHS
The Plains, Oh. 6-4, 200

About Joe Burrow

Joe Burrow is a four-star prospect who is ranked the 9th-best dual threat quarterback nationally and the 305th best prospect overall. He is rated the 14th-best prospect in the state of Ohio. His 2014 high school team was state runner-up in Division III and Burrow was selected as Ohio Mr. Football, first-team Associated Press all-state and the Division III co-offensive player of the year after throwing for nearly 4,500 yards with 63 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He threw for over 11,400 yards with 157 touchdowns in his career plus rushed for over 2,000 yards with 27 more TDs. Burrow had scholarship offers from Cincinnati, East Carolina, Iowa State, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Toledo, Ohio U, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Alabama, Duke, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt and many others.

Joe Burrow Video

Alex StumpWide ReceiverSt. Edward HS
Lakewood, Ohio 6-3.5, 195

About Alex Stump

Alex Stump is a four-star prospect ranked the 37th-best wide receiver nationally and the 301st-best prospect overall. He is ranked the 13th-best prospect in Ohio. Stump had 57 catches as a junior for 987 yards and 14 touchdowns to earn honorable mention all-state honors by the Associated Press. He injured his foot in the fourth game of his senior year. Stump chose Oho State over offers from Kentucky and Stanford. He also had offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Miami (Florida), Minnesota, Purdue, Toledo, West Virginia, Michigan, Northwestern, Michigan State, Penn State and others.

Alex Stump Video

Jamel DeanCornerbackCocoa HS
Cocoa, Fl. 6-2, 195

About Jamel Dean

Jamel Dean is a four-star prospect ranked the 32nd-best cornerback nationally and 339th best prospect at any position. He is rated the 49th-best prospect in Florida. Dean was two-time Florida first-team Class 4A all-state pick. He totaled 975 offensive yards, including 22 receptions and 15 touchdowns, in 2014 to earn all-state honors as a receiver … 38 tackles, two PBU, one interception in 2013 … also had seven PBUs as a senior and scored nine touchdowns as a junior. Dean chose OSU over offers from Auburn, Florida, Central Florida, Mississippi State, Miami of Florida and South Florida.

Jamel Dean Video

Joshua NorwoodCornerbackValdosta HS
Valdosta, Ga.5-10, 175

About Josh Norwood

Joshua Norwood is a three-star prospect rated the 49th--best cornerback prospect nationally and the 498th-best prospect overall. As a senior Norwood recorded 44 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, 10 pass-break-ups, six interceptions and forcing five fumbles for a defense that shut out four opponents and surrendered just 13.6 points per game. He also played basketball and ran track, and is the school record-holder in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles. Norwood chose OSU over Georgia, Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, Duke, Minnesota, Purdue, Florida, Auburn, Kentucky, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

Josh Norwood Video

Grant SchmidtOffensive tackleRoosevelt HS
Sioux Falls, SD. 6-6, 285

About Grant Schmidt

Grant Schmidt is a three-star prospect who is rated the 52nd-best offensive tackle prospect in the nation and the 468th-best prospect overall. He is rated the number one prospect in the state of South Dakota. At 6-6 he has great size for an offensive tackle. Schmidt's recruitment came down to OSU, Minnesota and Washington State with the Buckeyes winning out in the end. Schmidt also had interest from schools like Cincinnati, Iowa State, North Carolina, Rutgers, San Diego State, Wyoming, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Nebraska, USC, Oregon, Iowa, Texas A&M, Wisconsin and others.

Grant Schmidt Video

Robert LandersDefensive LineWayne HS
Dayton, Oh. 6-2, 295

About Robert Landers

Robert Landers is a three-star prospect rated the 29th-best defensive tackle in the nation and 476th-best prospect overall. He is ranked the 25th-best prospect in the state of Ohio. Landers was called a "disruptive force" throughout his senior season at Huber Heights and especially during his team's run to the Division I state championship game ... he totaled 153 tackles during his career for coach Jay Minton, including 16.5 tackles-for-loss Landers won the 2014 state track and field competition in the shot put as a junior and finished fifth as a senior. Ohio State defensive coordinator Luke Fickell has said that Landers was not originally on OSU's radar but comments by coaches whose team had played against Landers caused the Buckeyes to rethink things. Coaches told the OSU staff that their teams could not block Landers and that he took half the field away from them. Based on those kinds of comments OSU ended up extending an offer to Landers which he accepted. Beside the Buckeyes Landers had interest from Ball State, Bowling Green, Toledo, West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.

Robert Landers Video

Kevin FederOffensive lineDon Bosco Prep
Ramsey, N.J. 6-9, 305

About Kevin Feder

KevinFeder is a three-star prospect who is rated the 56th-best offensive tackle prospect in the nation and the 495th-best prospect overall. He is ranked the 12th-best player in New Jersey. At 6-9, Feder is huge, and his long arms will be useful to him in pass blocking situations at the college level. He had interest from Miami (Florida), Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Penn State and Standford but chose the Buckeyes.

Kevin Feder Video

A. J. AlexanderTight EndLake Braddock HS
Burke, Va. 6-4, 220

About A.J. Alexander

A.J. Alexander is a three-star prospect rated the 16th-best tight end nationally and the 507th-best prospect overall. He is ranked the 20th-best prospect in the state of Virginia. Alexander was recruited as a tight end but played wide receiver in high school where as a junior he was a Virginia all-state honoree after catching 41 passes for 650 yards and seven touchdowns, plus intercepting five passes on defense. He missed most of his senior season with a knee injury but had six receptions and scored two touchdowns as a senior, including a 95-yard kickoff return, before the injury. Alexander is described as having a “unique blend of size, power and speed”. Alexander chose Ohio State over Wisconsin and Virginia but had plenty of interest from other programs as well. They included Illinois, Indiana, Miami (Florida), Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northwestern, Clemson, Maryland, Michigan State, Penn State, Virginia Tech and many others.

A.J. Alexander Video

Branden BowenOffensive TackleCorner Canyon HS
Draper, Ut. 6-7, 330

About Branden Bowen

Branden Bowen is a three-star recruit who is ranked the 61st-best offensive tackle in the nation and the 535th ranked player overall. He is the sixth-rated player in the state of Utah. Bowen has trained under former Ute John Madsen, who was a member of Urban Meyer’s 2003 and 2004 Utah teams. Bowen has extraordinary size at 6-7, 330. The Buckeyes won his services over home-state Utah. He was also recruited by Florida, BYU, Colorado, Nebraska, Utah State, Cal, Standford, USC, Oklahoma State and Washington.

Branden Bowen Video

Josh AlabiDefensive TackleCass Tech HS
Detroit, Mi. 6-5, 295

About Josh Alabi

Josh Alabi is a three-star player who is rated the 30th-best defensive end and 545th-best prospect overall. He is ranked the ninth-best prospect in Michigan. Alabi was a two-way player in high school playing both offensive tackle and defensive end but is coming to Ohio State as a defensive player. Alabi gave strong consideration to Michigan State, Miami (Florida) and Tennessee before finally settling on being a Buckeye. He is the teammate of running back Mike Weber. Other schools that courted Alabi included Illinois, Michigan, Stanford, Nebraska, Penn State, Indiana, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.

Damon Arnette is a three-star prospect that is rated the 60th-best cornerback prospect and 649th-best prospect overall. He is ranked the 82nd-best prospect in the state of Florida. Arnette recorded three interceptions, five additional pass break-ups and three quarterback sacks as a senior. At one point during his recruitment it appeared that Arnette would be headed to South Carolina with the Gamecocks, but in the end he was a Buckeye. He was also recruited by Michigan, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Miami (Florida) and others.

Damon Arnette Video

Rashod BerryDefensive EndLorain HS
Lorain, Oh. 6-4, 252

About Rashod Berry

Rashod Berry is a three-star prospect rated the 35th-best weak side defensive end and the 724th-best prospect overall. He is ranked the 32nd-best prospect in the state of Ohio. Berry was a two-way player in high school playing tight end on offense and defensive end on defense. His senior season he had 37 receptions for 578 yards and 11 touchdowns, plus an additional 11 tackles-for-loss, including six sacks, plus six forced fumbles and an interception on defense. Berry chose the Buckeyes over Michigan State and Iowa. He also had interest from Bowling Green, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Syracuse, Toledo, Michigan, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Davon Hamilton is a three-star prospect who is ranked the 89th-best defensive tackle prospect in the nation and the 1,401st-best overall. He is rated the 31st-best prospect in Ohio. Hamilton was a three-year two-way starter in high school. His senior season he registered 67-tackles and an amazing 23-tackles-for-loss. Hamilton chose Ohio State over Kentucky and Ohio U. He was also recruited by Pitt, Toledo, Louisville, Indiana, Michigan State and others.

Davon Hamilton Video

Liam McCulloughLong Snapper
Kilbourne HS
Columbus, Oh. 6-3, 285

About Liam McCullough

Liam McCullough is a two-star prospect ranked the No. 1 long snapper in the nation. McCullough is a true specialist whose only function is long snapping. McCullough is thought to be only the second OSU player in program history to earn a full scholarship out of high school as a long snapper. He was recruited by Kentucky, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Northwestern and Tennessee.